Cubs 2025 Trade Deadline Thread

[squally1313]

Just now, PeanutPunch33 said:

I don't think I am personally.  He's a 2x all-star having a career year and the commitment would have been short term.  And this year, he's a potential 5 WAR player on pace for 140+ OPS+, on pace for 45-50 bombs.  He's also played for less teams than Juan Soto has - so I don't think him 'bouncing around' is indicative of his talent level.

I don't think he's a superstar or anything and surely not a guy I'd extend - but he's on a different level than Shaw.  Shaw will be lucky to have 1 future season where he hits 40 bombs with a .900 OPS and produces a 5 WAR season 

 

I know he's a Mariner and I'm mostly just bored waiting for Cease or Gore, and I know this is too obvious but like....we don't get the 36 home runs he's already hit. He's a 1.2 fWAR player the rest of the year per the systems, 1.5 fWAR if you just base on YTD performance. I understand it's dumb to play the marginal fWAR game over a two month stretch (Suarez is 0.5 higher than Shaw, Cease is 0.8 higher than Rea, etc), but you have to at least consider the guys overall body of work, not just these 100 games, when you're trying to project out the next 60, and the systems that do that say he's a 120 wRC/800 OPS guy, not this monster he's recently been.  

[chibears55]

4 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

How many lefties is too many lefties?  The answer may very well be, "It doesn't matter" but going into next season with a rotation including Imanaga, Boyd, Steele (hopefully), Gore... That's a lot of lefties.  Good pitching is good pitching though, and some of the best available guys just so happen to be left handed.

Then you have young guns in Horton Wiggins Brown Wicks etc.

Maybe see some offseason trades happening 

[PeanutPunch33]

2 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Well yeah, I'd put every cent I own on Shaw never touching 40HRs and a huge amount on never touching .900 OPS too, but he doesn't have to. He's vastly better defensively. He's vastly better on the bases. All Shaw has to do is be like a 115-120 wRC+ guy and he matches Suarez's career year. even as a league average bat he's probably a 3 fWAR player. 

Between Swanson and Nico though, the Cubs have plenty of guys right now that get most of their value from their defense and base running.  Suarez would have diversified the lineup a bit.

[Bertz]

7 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

How many lefties is too many lefties?  The answer may very well be, "It doesn't matter" but going into next season with a rotation including Imanaga, Boyd, Steele (hopefully), Gore... That's a lot of lefties.  Good pitching is good pitching though, and some of the best available guys just so happen to be left handed.

It doesn't matter.  A few years ago when the Cards had Goldschmidt and Arenado and Contreras at the peak of their powers maybe you worry, but not right now.  If anything it might be a plus.

[chibears55]

I think I'd rather see Hoyer push for a Ryan and Castro package from the Twins if we're talking trading bigger prospects for Gore

[Derwood]

Too many damn threads. 

[UMFan83]

10 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

How many lefties is too many lefties?  The answer may very well be, "It doesn't matter" but going into next season with a rotation including Imanaga, Boyd, Steele (hopefully), Gore... That's a lot of lefties.  Good pitching is good pitching though, and some of the best available guys just so happen to be left handed.

Yeah I used to be on the "too many lefties" stuff.  At the end of the day unless they have extreme splits, talent is talent.  Get the most talented starters.  Almost all the best teams against LHP are in the AL anyways.

Edited July 31, 2025 by UMFan83

[Jason Ross]

I'm going to play devils advocate here for a moment and please remember I'm the Cade Guy. You can make an argument where trading him and getting Gore can work. Youd *have* to keep Wiggins. But let's say you expect to shutdown Horton anyways, so for 2025 purposes, you're not losing a ton of additional on field value. Next year, you get Steele back, have a stable of young back end types like Assad, Birdsell, Sanders, maybe Wicks, and then Wiggins comes up 2026 mid-year and does the Horton thing if/when an injury bites.

You cannot do Shaw/Horton. But I can see a world where Horton could make sense. Which hurts me to type, but realistically, it's there.

[PeanutPunch33]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

I know he's a Mariner and I'm mostly just bored waiting for Cease or Gore, and I know this is too obvious but like....we don't get the 36 home runs he's already hit. He's a 1.2 fWAR player the rest of the year per the systems, 1.5 fWAR if you just base on YTD performance. I understand it's dumb to play the marginal fWAR game over a two month stretch (Suarez is 0.5 higher than Shaw, Cease is 0.8 higher than Rea, etc), but you have to at least consider the guys overall body of work, not just these 100 games, when you're trying to project out the next 60, and the systems that do that say he's a 120 wRC/800 OPS guy, not this monster he's recently been.  

That's undoubtedly true, but his profile is the type that can have massive success in the playoffs.  Nobody wants to pitch to a guy that can put one in the seats when the bases are loaded and there are 2 outs in the 6th inning.  That potential walk or home run compared to a ground out to 2nd base can change the entire series.  

If Shaw struggles in the playoffs, most of us will say or think "yeah well, he's a rookie and that was expected".  But with Eugenio, it raises the bar.  We'd all expect him to perform 

 

[JD94]

21 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Seeing on X that Shaw is a guy they want

If it’s the same thing I saw it’s just a fan account throwing horsefeathers against the wall. I can practically guarantee you the Cubs aren’t trading Matt Shaw 

[Michael Busch Light]

I will never fault someone for going for it.  Plus every year the Padres find a new prospect in the top 10 it seems like 

[Rex Buckingham]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I'm going to play devils advocate here for a moment and please remember I'm the Cade Guy. You can make an argument where trading him and getting Gore can work. Youd *have* to keep Wiggins. But let's say you expect to shutdown Horton anyways, so for 2025 purposes, you're not losing a ton of additional on field value. Next year, you get Steele back, have a stable of young back end types like Assad, Birdsell, Sanders, maybe Wicks, and then Wiggins comes up 2026 mid-year and does the Horton thing if/when an injury bites.

You cannot do Shaw/Horton. But I can see a world where Horton could make sense. Which hurts me to type, but realistically, it's there.

ooof, I would hate to trade Horton, but if that's what it takes I think you have to take the chance on the proven guy... flags fly forever, and this team is good enough to get one if they get Gore and the bats stop slumping (and stay healthy...)

[tartan222]

1 minute ago, JD94 said:

If it’s the same thing I saw it’s just a fan account throwing horsefeathers against the wall. I can practically guarantee you the Cubs aren’t trading Matt Shaw 

espn reported a few days ago that the nationals wanted shaw for gore, so the interest isn't just something a fan made up

not saying we'd put him on the table but still

[Irrelevant Dude]

Just now, Jason Ross said:

I'm going to play devils advocate here for a moment and please remember I'm the Cade Guy. You can make an argument where trading him and getting Gore can work.

I understand the logic, primarily because of the almost certain innings restriction.  If the Cubs were going to have Cade Horton at full strength through the rest of the season and the playoffs, I don't think you really consider trading him for a guy with only 2 more seasons of team control.  But when their objective is to go big this year, while also keeping an eye on the future, trading some future years of Horton to have Gore now (and for a couple more years after) becomes a possibility.  But if you're considering trading Horton, I can't stomach Horton + Caissie.  That is too much.

[Tryptamine]

11 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I'm going to play devils advocate here for a moment and please remember I'm the Cade Guy. You can make an argument where trading him and getting Gore can work. Youd *have* to keep Wiggins. But let's say you expect to shutdown Horton anyways, so for 2025 purposes, you're not losing a ton of additional on field value. Next year, you get Steele back, have a stable of young back end types like Assad, Birdsell, Sanders, maybe Wicks, and then Wiggins comes up 2026 mid-year and does the Horton thing if/when an injury bites.

You cannot do Shaw/Horton. But I can see a world where Horton could make sense. Which hurts me to type, but realistically, it's there.

I'm not trading Horton and the reason for that is simple. Look at his numbers even with this weird inability to get guys to swing and miss with 2 strikes when it's not an issue getting swing and miss for strike 1 or strike 2. Once he gets that ironed out, I think he's going to be real good.

[chibears55]

4 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Too many damn threads. 

Lol..

I remember getting called out for not looking everywhere to find exactly where the topic was that I wanted to mention 😅 

[PeanutPunch33]

4 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I'm going to play devils advocate here for a moment and please remember I'm the Cade Guy. You can make an argument where trading him and getting Gore can work. Youd *have* to keep Wiggins. But let's say you expect to shutdown Horton anyways, so for 2025 purposes, you're not losing a ton of additional on field value. Next year, you get Steele back, have a stable of young back end types like Assad, Birdsell, Sanders, maybe Wicks, and then Wiggins comes up 2026 mid-year and does the Horton thing if/when an injury bites.

You cannot do Shaw/Horton. But I can see a world where Horton could make sense. Which hurts me to type, but realistically, it's there.

If the Cubs think Cade's changeup is for real than I wouldn't make that trade, even for Gore.  Cade has a chance to be even better than Gore down the line.  

However - the Nats can take Caissie++ for Gore. 

[squally1313]

6 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

Between Swanson and Nico though, the Cubs have plenty of guys right now that get most of their value from their defense and base running.  Suarez would have diversified the lineup a bit.

Cubs are tied in team wRC for the year with 117. Third in baseball in July. There is plenty of offense. The Brewers are rolling out Joey Ortiz every day (worse than Shaw). The Padres are (for now) rolling out Elias Diaz (worse than Shaw). The Dodgers have given 200 PAs at a 74 wRC to Enrique Hernandez and Michael Conforto has a negative fWAR on the year. Tyrone Taylor has a 58(!) wRC in 295 PAs for the Mets. This isn't a unique problem. 

[Tryptamine]

Tigers grab Kyle Finnegan, he was mentioned with the Cubs a few times.

Edited July 31, 2025 by Tryptamine

[ILMindState]

Trade Horton for Gore now, then trade for Horton again in 2 years when his value is down because the Nats couldn't develop him properly. Rebuild Horton into a beast.

[sneakypower]

30 minutes ago, Rex Buckingham said:

Gore would be worth giving up Caissie and Wiggins, and then there would be more to give on top of that, which is ok. The best part about getting Gore would be that Tom isn't here to brag about him being his guy

ohh what'd i miss, what happened to tom

[CubinNY]

5 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

That's undoubtedly true, but his profile is the type that can have massive success in the playoffs. 

 

What? He has 32 career plate appearances in the playoffs. You can say you like him better than Shaw and he's "a veteran" and whatever else, but come on. 

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I'm not trading Horton and the reason for that is simple. Look at his numbers even with this weird inability to get guys to swing and miss with 2 strikes when it's not an issue getting swing and miss for strike 1 or strike 2. Once he gets that ironed out, I think he's going to be real good.

No one needs to remind me what Horton could be. I've been the highest person on Horton since draft day when everyone hated it. 

But the Cubs will probably have to get a little irrational to get the guy they want. And if you traded Horton, but kept Wiggins, I think you can find a way where the pain isn't as bad. That also depends on how the Cubs internally view Wiggins vs Horton, too. There's lots of things here. 

I'm just saying, there's a world it makes sense even if it hurts to say it.

[PeanutPunch33]

Just now, CubinNY said:

What? He has 32 career plate appearances in the playoffs. You can say you like him better than Shaw and he's "a veteran" and whatever else, but come on. 

His power, plays in October though.  Like if the Cubs played a best of 7 in October, your expectation would be that Suarez would hit at least 1 or 2 home runs in that series right?  Would you have the same expectation for the rookie?

[Dfan25]

I like Ryan over Gore tbh 

Edited July 31, 2025 by Dfan25